As the optical connecting member, the optical connector that makes it possible to facilitate the work of fitting an optical connector onto an optical fiber on the worksite where an optical line is laid and thus shorten a working time has been known (see Patent Literature 1, for example). An example of the optical connector is shown in FIG. 12.
An optical connector 100 shown in FIG. 12 has a ferrule 101 in which a built-in optical fiber 101a as a glass fiber is built. The built-in optical fiber 101a is connected to a coated optical fiber 102 with coating in the inside of the optical connector 100. Also, a boot 103 for covering the coated optical fiber 102 that is extended backward is fitted to the rear portion of the optical connector 100. Also, an optical fiber holding hole 101b whose inner diameter is substantially identical to an outer diameter of the built-in optical fiber 101a is provided on a center axis of the ferrule 101. A rear end portion of the built-in optical fiber 101a is projected from the ferrule 101 by a predetermined length. The built-in optical fiber 101a is inserted into the optical fiber holding hole 101b, then positioned therein, and fixed by the adhesives. A rear end face of the built-in optical fiber 101a is connected to a front end face of a glass fiber (not shown) of the coated optical fiber 102 that is inserted into a splice member 104, which is provided at the back of the ferrule 101, from the backside.
The splice member 104 is constructed by a lower base member 105 and a cover member 106. The base member 105 and the cover member 106 are clamped integrally by a clamp member 107 that is formed of the elastic member to have a U-shaped sectional shape. A V-shaped groove 108 is provided in the center of an upper face of the base member 105. The built-in optical fiber 101a is fitted into the V-shaped groove 108, and then is positioned and held by the cover member 106. A V-shaped groove 109 is provided in a latter half portion of the splice member 104. The V-shaped groove 109 is used to position and fix the coated optical fiber 102 in the center of an upper face of the base member 105 on a basis of an outer peripheral face of the coating.
That is, the coated optical fiber 102 is fitted in the V-shaped groove 109, and then the coating is pressed with the cover member 106. Thus, the coated optical fiber 102 can be positioned and held. In this case, a refractive-index matching agent 110 is filled in a joining position between the built-in optical fiber 101a and the coated optical fiber 102 to achieve a low loss and a low reflection of the transmitted light on a joined face.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication JP-A-2005-345753